ガラガラ

ガ

ラ

ガ

ラ

JLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

ガラガラする · noun or participle which takes 'suru'

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	ガラガラする	ガラガラしない
Polite	ガラガラします	ガラガラしません
Past polite	ガラガラしました	ガラガラしませんでした
Past	ガラガラした	ガラガラしなかった
Te-form	ガラガラして	ガラガラしないで
Desire	ガラガラしたい	ガラガラしたくない
Potential	ガラガラできる	ガラガラできない
Passive	ガラガラされる	ガラガラされない
Causative	ガラガラさせる	ガラガラさせない
Causative passive	ガラガラさせられる	ガラガラさせられない
Volitional	ガラガラしよう
Polite volitional	ガラガラしましょう
Imperative	ガラガラしろ	ガラガラするな
Conditional	ガラガラすれば	ガラガラしなければ
Tara conditional	ガラガラしたら	ガラガラしなかったら

Meanings

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

clattering; rattling

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Onomatopoeic adverb describing a loud rattling or clattering sound, often with the particle と.

引ひき出だしを開あけると、中なかからガラガラと音おとがした。
When I opened the drawer, there was a rattling sound from inside.

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', na-adjective

empty; vacant; bare

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Describes a place or container that is largely empty or sparsely occupied, often with a sense of echoing hollowness.

映えい画が館かんはガラガラだった。
The movie theater was almost empty.
冷れい蔵ぞう庫こがガラガラで、何なにも入はいっていない。
The fridge is bare; there's nothing in it.

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', na-adjective

raspy; gravelly; husky

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Describes a rough, hoarse voice, often due to a cold or strain.

風邪かぜで声こえがガラガラになった。
My voice became raspy because of a cold.

adverb, adverb taking the 'to' particle

gargling

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Onomatopoeic adverb for the sound of gargling, often used with うがいをする.

彼かれは洗せん面めん所じょでガラガラとうがいをした。
He gargled noisily in the bathroom.

noun or participle which takes 'suru', adverb

rough; unreserved; boorish

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

Describes a person's manner or speech as blunt, unrefined, or lacking delicacy. Can be used as a suru-verb (ガラガラする) or adverbially.

彼かれはガラガラした性せい格かくで、遠えん慮りょがない。
He has a rough personality and is unreserved.

noun

baby rattle

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

A toy that makes a rattling sound for infants.

赤あかちゃんにガラガラを渡わたしたら、嬉うれしそうに振ふった。
When I handed the baby a rattle, they shook it happily.

noun

lottery wheel

onomatopoeic or mimetic word

A rotating drum used in lotteries or raffles, which makes a rattling sound when turned.

商しょう店てん街がいの福ふく引びきでガラガラを回まわした。
I spun the lottery wheel at the shopping district raffle.

See all 32 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉はガラガラだa place is nearly empty/uncrowded
平へい日じつの昼ひる間まは電でん車しゃがガラガラだ。
On weekday afternoons the train is nearly empty.
声こえがガラガラだone's voice is raspy/hoarse
風邪かぜをひいて声こえがガラガラになった。
I caught a cold and my voice became hoarse.
うがいをガラガラするto gargle noisily
寝ねる前まえにうがいをガラガラした。
I gargled loudly before going to bed.
〈物もの〉がガラガラと音おとを立たてるsomething makes a loud rattling/clattering sound
シャッターがガラガラと音おとを立たてて閉しまった。
The shutter closed with a loud rattling sound.
ガラガラを回まわすto spin the lottery wheel
福ふく引びきでガラガラを回まわして景けい品ひんを当あてた。
I spun the lottery wheel at the raffle and won a prize.

Related words

空からっぽN2sense 2
空っぽ is a plain adjective for something being completely empty, while ガラガラ (empty) adds the nuance of an echoing, sparsely occupied space.
スカスカN1
ガラガラ describes something conspicuously empty (a room, a train), while スカスカ focuses on a lack of density or substance inside something.
ごろごろN3
ガラガラ describes a lighter, clattering or rattling sound (like empty cans), while ゴロゴロ describes a deeper, heavier rumbling or rolling sound.
閑かん散さん
がらがら is a casual, everyday mimetic word for a place or vehicle being nearly empty, while 閑散 is more formal or written and can also describe slow business or market activity.

Opposites

満まん員いんN3sense 2
満員 describes a place packed full of people, the opposite of ガラガラ (empty) describing a nearly deserted place.
パンパンN1
パンパン describes something bulging and full to bursting, whereas がらがら describes something empty, loose, or rattling.
ぎっしりN3
ぎっしり describes a space or schedule packed to capacity, while がらがら describes one that is nearly empty.
ぎゅうぎゅうN1
がらがら describes a space as empty or nearly vacant, the opposite of ぎゅうぎゅう which describes it as packed to the point of squeezing.

Don't confuse with· 5

カラカラ sense 1
カラカラ describes something dry or a light clattering sound, while ガラガラ describes a louder rattle or an empty, echoing space; the two onomatopoeia are easily mixed up by learners.
がらんN1
がらがら usually describes a place that is uncrowded (like a half-empty train), while がらん specifically evokes an eerie, echoing emptiness in an enclosed space.
ガラリN1
ガラリ describes a single forceful, clattering action (like flinging open a door), while がらがら describes a continuous rattling sound or an empty/vacant state, so learners should not mix them up.

Show 2 more

からからN3
からから and がらがら sound and look almost identical, but がらがら describes a heavier, louder rattling or rumbling than the light, dry sound of からから.
ガラッとN1
がらがら describes a continuous rattling or clattering sound, while ガラッと describes a single, quick sliding or banging action.

Word family

ガラガラポン
scrap and rebuild; wipe the slate clean; start over from scratch · lottery wheel; raffle drum
ガラガラ抽ちゅう選せん
raffle drum; tombola

Written forms

ガラガラUsage81%
Katakana spelling is common for this mimetic word.
がらがらUsage19%
Hiragana spelling is also used.

Etymology

Mimetic word derived from the sound of rattling or clattering. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.